Henry Cockeram

English lexicographer

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June 24, 2026

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Henry Cockeram was an English lexicographer who published The English Dictionary; or, An Interpreter of Hard English Words in 1623. This work was notable for including many words that had not appeared in previous dictionaries. Cockeram's dictionary was part of a tradition of English lexicography that focused on defining "hard words". While Edward Cocker, a more famous figure, also produced writing manuals and an English dictionary, Henry Cockeram is specifically recognized for his 1623 lexicographical work.12

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From 1604 to 1828
…next work, in 1623, by Henry Cockeram, the first to have the word dictionary in its title: The English Dictionary; or, An Interpreter of Hard English Words. It added many words that have never appeared anywhere else—adpugne, adstupiate, bulbitate, catillate, fraxate, nixious, prodigity, vitulate, and so on. Much fuller than…
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…next work, in 1623, by Henry Cockeram, the first to have the word dictionary in its title: The English Dictionary; or, An Interpreter of Hard English Words. It added many words that have never appeared anywhere else—adpugne, adstupiate, bulbitate, catillate, fraxate, nixious, prodigity, vitulate, and so on. Much fuller than…
Read More